Tape dispenser



Dec. 11, 1951 w, DO L 2,578,519

TAPE DISPENSER Filed July 21, 1950 INVENTOR. C/yo e W Doqb/e Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TAPE DISPENSER Clyde W. Duble,..Crafton, Pa. Application July 21, 1950, Serial No. 175,055

' -1 Claim. :1

This-invention relates generally to dispensers ;:and more particularly to .a dispensing device for adhesive tapes which are available in rolls.

The tape-cutting dispenser comprising this invention is of the character that isynot attached to the-roll butmay rbe'readily. carried with the roll by vtheadhesivebf 'theytape and dispense the tape therefrom while the roll is being'held in the hand.

Dispensers-adapted to be attached'toa free :roll of *tape and :having an' underguide or shoe thatvenga-ges in theriholerinsideof' thegro'll. require The -.-principal object of "this invention is the provisionof an adhesive tape dispenser having'a surfaceagainst whichztheyadhesive portion of the tape .andextending from: the roll'lies in contact for the purpose of supporting and holding the dispenser to the roll. The dispenser, as-comprising this inventionnnay be applied to rolls of different diameters and of different widths and will functionproperly, whereas in the prior art the tape dispensers are required vto .be fitted to the particular size of tape.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a tape dispenser comprising a sliding shoe which engages the perimeter of the ad- :hesive-roll and is thereby guided to slide therezalong. This dispenser is provided with spaced upward extensions for supporting the free end of the tape, as it extends from the surface of the roll and bridges from one extension to another thereby permitting the tape to be readily lifted and dispensed. This is an extremely important object of this invention.

Another object of this invention is the provision of spaced bearing means on the tape engaging shoe to engage the surface of the tape and maintain the dispenser in proper relative position so that the end thereof will not reengage the surface of the roll when the adhesive tape is being dispensed, nor will it present a difficult problem in freeing the end of the tape to permit it to be withdrawn from the roll and ,dispensed in the length desired.

Other objects and advantages appear hereiw after in the following description of claim.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification-without limiting the inventionor claimthereto a practical embodiment illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

Fig.'1 is asectional view of'the tape dispenser comprising this invention as shown in engagement with the roll of tape.

Fig. "2 is a perspective viewof the dispenser as shown in Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3is a perspective view-of a modified-form of tape dispenser comprising this invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective-view of the structure as shown in Figr3- as applied to a roll of tape.

will be noted that the tape dispenser I extension members II and '12. rmember 1 2; is larger than the extension members Referring to Figs. land 2 of thedrawings it is appliedto a large roll -oftransparent tape. The

tape-dispenser l-is provided with the depending sides 2 and '3-thatextendfrom the marginal side edges 'of the sole Aof'the shoe. The sole is provided withtwo depending bearingmembers-fi and 6 which are-struck from the surface of the sole member openings 1 and 8 therein. The lower end of the downwardly struck members provide bearing points that ride on the smoothsurface of the tapero'll indicated at 9. .These bearing members may have rolled ends to permit them to easily ride over the tape. Intermediate of the bearing surfaces, thesole 4'is provided with an opening in :formed by the oppositely disposed upward The extension I l However, both extension membershave arcuatel-y'curvedsurfaces extending'in opposite directions from each other. A fore end of the 1 shoe :sole Avis provided with an upward extension 13 that is :preferably higher than the upward extension [2 and has a transverse cutting bar M on the forward edge thereof. The arcuate surface of the upward extension i2 projects toward the upper end of the upward extension [3 and the free end of the tape, which is indicated by the dotted line at l5, extends upwardly from the surface of the tape roll through the opening 10 and in engagement with the arcuate surface of the upward extension 12 and bridges the gap between the spaced upward extensions I2 and I3 and lies in engagement with the top abutment surface [6 of the upward extension it where any downward pressure may be exerted to tear it across the cutting bar l4.

When this very simple structure is applied to a roll of tape, it may be held by the thumb and forefinger on the roll and the loose end of the tape may be lifted upwardly from the abutment surface [6 of the extension l3 and be freed of the arcuate surface on the upward extension l2. The tape may then be drawn substantially vertically through the opening Ill to any length desired. The smooth end of the tape may be turned rearwardly over the arcuate surface of the upper extension I! and pulled so as to slide the roll of tape on the bearings of the shoe I as the tape is withdrawn from the roll, and, when it is desired to stop and cut the proper length of the tape. the tape extension is merely moved forward until its adhesive surface engages the arcuate surface 2 to lock the shoe to the roll. The tape then bridges over the gap between the extensions l2 and 3 and, when stretched and pulled down over the abutment 16,- it is severed by the bar I 4.

This structure is very simple and economical being stamped from a single piece of metal and needing no additional work thereto other than possibly painting or printing before stamping. However, if made from aluminum or stainless steel, 9. surface finish for the dispenser is not even necessary.

In the structures shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the shoe 20 is provided with the spaced abutment members 2! and 22 which are formed by curving the ends 23 and 24 inwardly between the sides 25 and 26 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end of abutment 2| is provided with an arcuate surface 21 that extends toward the head 23 on the upper end of the abutment member 22. The head 28 is provided with the cutting bar indicated at 3|. This structure has the same elements and operating characteristics as the aforementioned structure in that it is provided with spaced tape engaging and bearing surfaces and spaced extensions having abutment surfaces that function to bridge the end of the tape over the gap therebetween to permit the fingers to readily grasp the end of the tape and lift it from the surfaces. The only substantial difference between these structures is the fact that the structure, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is not provided with the openings 1 and ID as shown in Fig. 1.

The dispenser of Figs. 3 and 4 is provided with the finger indentations 32 in the sides thereof which, when held between the thumb and forefinger, will permit the roll of tape to slide around in the hands when the free end of the tape is being drawn from the surface thereof, and close- 1y adjacent the abutment 2| as indicated by the dotted line at 33.

Owing to the fact that each of the dispensers as disclosed in this application is provided with spaced bearings for engaging the smooth surface of the tape, a dispenser may support the tape roll, which may be readily slid around while the roll is supported by the spaced bearings, and permitted to rotate in the hand while the free end of the tape is being withdrawn from the roll.

Another important feature of this invention, that is common to both of these dispenser structures, is found in the upwardly spaced abutments which permit the adhesive surface of the free end of the tape to engage the surface of the first abutment to hold the dispenser to the roll of tape when not in use and also to provide a bridge which is readily lifted by the fingers without disengaging the adhesive surface of the tape end from the arcuate surface of the first abutment. This permits one to handle and quickly draw sections of the tape from the roll without dropping either the roll, or the dispenser, or necessitate the carrying of a bulky dispenser.

Again the sides of each of these dispensers may be arcuately shaped inwardly toward each other, as indicated at 34, to engage the sides of the tape roll if the roll is, in fact, the proper gauge for width of the sides of the tape dispenser. Such an engagement should be light and .permit the easy rotation of the tape roll through the dispenser. However, it provides an additional aid in the smooth, uniform dispensing of the tape from the roll.

I claim:

An adhesive tape dispenser comprising a shoe having guides to engage the sides of an adhesive tape roll, a pair of spaced transverse bearing surfaces on the shoe to engage the outer perimetral surface of the roll, an upwardly extending surface on said shoe positioned between said spaced transverse bearing surfaces for receiving the adhesive side of the tape on the roll, a second upwardly extending surface on said shoe in spaced relation to the first extending surface, a transverse lip on said second upwardly extending surface to receive the adhesive side of the tape, and a cutting bar on said lip, the end of the tape when not in use passing off the roll with the adhesive side lying against the first upwardly extending surface and on said lip and bridging therebetween to hold the shoe on the roll and the tape in readiness for dispensing.

CLYDE W. DOUBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,401,286 Wright May 28, 1946 2,423,004 Butler June 24, 1947 

